I regularly get emails from readers who are eager to hit the road and travel full-time (or long-term), but are contending with various forms of debt, from student loans to credit cards to mortgages.

My advice – as tough as it might be – is to get your financial house in orderbefore you travel. This means eliminating your debt, or establishing a guaranteed stream of income that can make payments on your debt while you travel.

Creating and adhering to a budget when you travel is tricky business, and most people who take long-term trips or sabbaticals return home with maxed out credit cards. The last thing you need is to start out on this note. It restricts your freedom on the road, and could create big problems for you if something happens that affects your ability to continue to pay your debt or necessitates extra money that you don’t have.